Perceptions of internal and external continuing bonds in bereaved individuals with and without prolonged grief disorder.

Abstract

This study aimed to compare individuals with and without a diagnosis of Prolonged Grief Disorder in terms of the intensity of internal and external continuing bonds, as well as the extent to which they interpret these bonds as comforting, socially acceptable, and an inseparable part of their self-identity. The sample consisted of 229 bereaved adults (PGD: N = 27; non-PGD: N = 202). Results indicated that the PGD group experienced internal and external bonds more intensely, reporting higher scores for interpreting them as an inseparable part of self-identity and lower scores for interpreting them as socially acceptable. While the PGD group found external bonds more comforting than the non-PGD group, no such difference was observed for internal bonds. These findings suggest that, when assessing whether continuing bonds are adaptive or maladaptive, it is crucial to consider not only their internal or external nature but also how they are interpreted.